Haunted
by Dlbn
Summary: After a terrifying nightmare, Ritsuka begins to see Seimei. But Seimei's not alive...right...? *Anime-verse. details inside*
1. There Is No Seimei

Dlbn: Hey, everyone, and welcome to our annual Halloween fic!

Nbld: It was originally a one shot, but I _kind_ of got carried away and wrote forty-seven pages in the span of three days soooo I made it a two-shot.

Dlbn: Hey, to be fair, we've posted a Halloween one shot, and a few multi chapter Halloween fics before, so at least it's new.

Nbld: Originally this year's fic was going to be a sequel to _Creepy Doll_ , but I never got around to it, and once I realized Halloween was soon, and I didn't have time to write and post it weekly, I figured I'd make a different thing.

Dlbn: This story was influenced by an episode of the ORIGINAL Teen Titans called "Haunted". Watch that later if you'd like.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own loveless or anyone canon. That all belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off writing this fanfic.

Disclaimer 2: So people aren't confused by conflicting information from previous fanfics and the manga, this takes place in the ANIME World. Where Yokohama was a full episode told in different viewpoints from everyone going to the therapist for some reason, and the final episode was bullshit that had nothing to do with anything but was still cool and made MUCH more sense when you watched the dub version.

000

It started about a week later. A week after he had his nightmare that resulted in real-world Soubi declared that he'd rather die than hurt or kill Ritsuka. The twelve-year-old wasn't sure what had come over him so suddenly. One minute, everything was fine. The next, it felt like his world was turned upside down. He always felt like someone was watching him, even when he was in class or in Soubi's apartment. When he was alone, it was like he could just _feel_ someone else nearby; even on dark, empty streets when he snuck out for walks around two am once and a while. Yoji and Natsuo had chalked it up to him being worried about other units attacking him, but he wasn't so sure. He knew he was safe as long as Soubi and the Zeroes were around. None of them would let anyone hurt him. Hell, it was Soubi's _job_ to keep him safe and fight for him. He wouldn't get hurt. What was it? Soubi had bene concerned, but he couldn't offer up any explanation, just suggesting his nightmare was still clinging to his mind. He wasn't sure if that was the case, but he'd take it. He hadn't told his sensei, his school friends, or his therapist about it. he wasn't certain how they'd react. It wasn't like any of them knew about his world of spells and the like. They'd either think he was crazy or laugh at him. So he kept it to himself.

Walking home from school with Yuiko and Yayoi one day, Ritsuka felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. His heart dropped and his stomach lurched as he quickly paused and whipped his head around, looking for what was making him feel so alarmed.

"Ritsuka-kun?" Yuiko asked, her voice dripping the concern that her eyes were drowning in. "Are you okay? You're acting funny."

"No, I just…is someone here besides us…?" He looked around again.

"Yeah, a lot of people…" Yayoi muttered.

People were walking around at this time of the day, but he didn't see or sense anyone menacing. Still, his body felt like it was on fire with his flight response buzzing. He could feel the bond around him shimmer and tug as if it were calling to Soubi for help or leading him away from the predator.

"No, like someone that shouldn't be…?" Ritsuka shook his head to clear his mind. "Sorry, I'm just being paranoid, I guess."

"It's not even Halloween. What's wrong?" Yayoi wondered. "Has someone been threatening you?"

"What? No, of course not." Ritsuka denied. "Soubi would handle it anyway. I just…I don't know, something doesn't feel right."

"Ritsuka-kun, you're scaring Yuiko." She tried to hide behind Yayoi, which was almost comical because he was so much shorter than her.

"Sorry…must be something I ate, I don't know…"

"The cafeteria food did look questionable today," Yayoi nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Maybe you should go home and lie down."

"Yeah, good idea. Walk Yuiko home, would you? I don't want to drag you guys to my place just to have to turn around."

He also didn't want his mother to see hem and freak out. He didn't need witnesses.

"Sure." Yayoi beamed at the idea of being alone with her. "I hope you feel better."

"Yuiko does, too."

She seemed surprised when all he did was wave them off and say he'd be okay, instead of correcting her grammar. His phone began buzzing against his chest where it hung. He grabbed it and flipped it open without even looking at the caller ID.

"Are you busy, Soubi?" He wondered.

"I always have time for you, Ritsuka." Soubi responded.

Ritsuka felt his heart calm a bit. "I'm almost home. Meet me a block away."

"Ritsuka, are you alright?"

"Just do it." He hung up and started walking.

Soubi knew where to go even if he wasn't told which direction away he meant. The blonde called it following their bond. Ritsuka called it being a stalker.

000

He was only a few feet from where Soubi was when Ritsuka felt that ominous feeling again. He stopped and quickly looked around. He could have sworn he saw something sitting up in the trees, but as soon as it was there, it was gone. The ravenette shuddered and took off running. He barely noticed Soubi standing there until the blonde grabbed him by the wrist to stop him.

"What are you running from, Ritsuka?" Soubi wondered calmly.

Ritsuka froze and let the blonde wrap his arms around his quivering frame. "I thought I saw something…"

"Again?" Soubi wondered. "Hm, how troubling."

Ritsuka didn't reply.

"Come with me." Soubi didn't give him time to respond as he took the boy's hand and led him down the road.

Ritsuka tugged on Soubi's hand to make him turn. The blonde happily obliged, but there was a look of concern on his normally rather schooled features.

"What's wrong?" He wondered. "You turned so suddenly."

"I got that feeling again." Ritsuka shuddered. "It's like I'm being watched. _Constantly_. I hate this…"

"It's normal to feel this way after you wake."

"After I wake? I feel it even in my sleep."

"Wake as a Sacrifice." Soubi stated. "The constant state of paranoia that another team is going to attack you when you're alone."

"I'm with you and I felt it. I felt it with Yayoi and Yuiko earlier, too." Ritsuka said it. "It's not just when I'm alone."

"When you're without me, you worry you'll be unable to defend yourself. When you're with me, you're afraid of fighting." Soubi offered.

"I don't think that's what the problem is…"

"I assure you, Ritsuka, there's nothing there. Shall we go back and look?"

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Ritsuka glared. "Just take me to your place…"

"As you wish."

000

Ritsuka didn't know what to think when he woke up covered in sweat and shivering later that night to an empty bedroom. Soubi had agreed to stay until he fell asleep, so the blonde was long gone. It wasn't Soubi being gone that surprised him, but more what was there that shouldn't have been. The ravenette all but screamed as he forced himself back towards the wall his bed rested against. There was a shimmering silhouette in the corner that shouldn't have been there. Ritsuka scrambled for his phone and flipped it open to use the light as a flashlight. He shone it on the area where the silhouette stood, only to find it empty. He laughed in nervous relief as he ran a hand through his hair and over his flattened ears. Of course nothing was there. It was just shadows created by the moonlight, that was all. Still, he dialed a familiar number and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Can you come over?" He asked, once he heard a click that told him someone picked up the phone.

"Of course, Ritsuka." Soubi replied. "Is something the matter?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Just, please, hurry up, Soubi…"

"Of course. I'll be there shortly."

Ritsuka curled up under the blankets until he heard a knocking on his balcony door. He jumped and continued hiding until he remembered that that was how Soubi got inside. He rushed out of bed and opened the door for the blonde, latching to his middle. Soubi was wearing blue and white pajamas with his long purple coat with black fur trim. He took a step back before ushering Ritsuka inside and shutting the door behind him.

"What's wrong, Ritsuka?" He wondered. "Another nightmare?"

"I thought someone was here…" He replied. "I swear I saw something in the corner, but it's gone now…"

"I see." Soubi kissed the top of his head. "Well, I'm here now. If anything was there, it's not coming back."

"Thanks…" Ritsuka crawled under the covers, poking his head out of his cocoon. "I feel so pathetic…"

"It's alright, Ritsuka. Lots of people have trouble sleeping after a nightmare, especially as bad as the one you had." He chuckled. "To think I would ever harm you…" He ran a hand through Ritsuka's hair.

"You wouldn't, right…?"

"I'd sooner die."

"Don't talk about dying…" Ritsuka muttered. "Between that dream and Seimei dying…"

"I apologize. Shall I be punished…?" Soubi sat on the edge of his bed.

"No…just don't leave again…"

"I won't." Soubi promised.

"You can…uh…" Ritsuka blushed and rolled away. "You know…"

"Arigato." Soubi slipped off his coat and slipped into bed behind the boy, careful not to disturb him.

The blonde bit his lip as Ritsuka scooted back to seek him out. He gingerly wrapped his arms around the boy to drift to sleep. If he could.

000

Ritsuka was ripped from sleep by the incessant beeping of his alarm clock. He reached over and slammed a fist onto it as he groaned in annoyance. He felt something brush his hand as he did so. Assuming it was Soubi, he poked his head out from under the pillows to look up at the Fighter. Instead, a scream ripped itself from his throat and he scrambled off the bed to back up towards the bathroom. Standing there, as plain as the nose on his face, was his older brother. Seimei smiled gently at him, offering him a hand as he stood there. Ritsuka paled when he realized he was seeing through his brother to the wall behind him. he didn't say anything or make any movement; just stood there with his hand extended towards his baby brother and smiling.

"Ritsuka?" His mother pounded on his door. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mom." He swallowed, his throat dry and raw. "Just a nightmare…"

"Breakfast is done."

She scuffled away down the hall towards the stairs. Ritsuka counted the stairs as they squeaked in protest under his mother's footsteps.

"Seimei…?" He wondered.

"Ritsuka?" Soubi asked from behind him. "Are you alright?"

Ritsuka looked away from the apparition at the blonde standing in the doorway of his adjoined half bathroom. He looked confused, but not surprised or afraid to see the dead teen standing in the room. His hair was up in a loose ponytail, a few tendrils hanging near his face. He was shirtless, but wore the same pajamas he'd worn when he came over and was barefoot. Ritsuka blushed.

"How could I be alright with _him_ here?" He wondered, pointing. "How are you not freaking out?"

Soubi looked as confused as he did when Ritsuka had yelled at him in his nightmare. No, this was the real Soubi. This tall, shirtless, confused blonde was his Fighter. Not some nightmare induced killer.

"Him?" He asked. "Ritsuka, who are you referring to?"

"Seimei!"

"Seimei?"

"Don't you see…huh…?" Ritsuka turned to find the apparition gone. "But…but he was just there! Standing there reaching for me! How…?"

"It was likely a response to your dream, Ritsuka, if you indeed had a nightmare as you told your mother. The dream was still fresh, so you saw a ghost."

"No, I swear, I felt him touch me and everything."

Soubi walked over, closely inspecting the area where Seimei had stood just a few moments ago.

"No one is here, Ritsuka. If they were, they were gone, and they were certainly _not_ your brother."

"Are you sure…?"

"As much as I'd love to see Seimei once again, and although I know it would make you rather happy, I can say for certain that Seimei was not here recently."

He'd died before they moved here, anyway. It wasn't like he'd know where to go if he had been alive and come looking for his family.

"Then what…?" Ritsuka sighed, hanging his head in defeat. "I guess I'm just overreacting to that dream I had…"

"Hm." Soubi nodded. "It wouldn't surprise me."

He walked closer to the preteen and knelt in front of him. "I promise you, Ritsuka. Whatever happens, you don't have to worry. I'll protect you." He brushed stray hair out of plum eyes.

"Don't promise such things…" Ritsuka muttered, shuffling his feet. "You can't know that you'll always protect me."

"Oh, but I do." Soubi smiled gently, tipping Ritsuka's chin up with one hand. "Sukidayo, Ritsuka." He pressed a gentle kiss to the boy's mouth.

Ritsuka pushed him away. "B-Baka!" He complained. "Go on, go home! I'll see you after school…"

"Wouldn't you like me to walk you?"

"And risk people seeing you? You already upset Sensei once, you know."

"I apologized."

"Because I told you too, and it was a half assed apology at that!"

"Gomennasai."

Ritsuka rolled his eyes. "Go on, Soubi. That's an order…"

"Hai." The blonde stood, grabbing his shirt off the back of Ritsuka's desk chair and pulling it on. "I'll be eagerly waiting to see you again."

Ritsuka said nothing, only glared at the blonde as he left through the bedroom window. Once he was sure the elder male was gone, he huffed and stormed into his bathroom. Taking a seat on top of the closed toilet lid, Ritsuka bunched his hair into his hands and closed his eyes.

"Ugh!" He groaned. "Stupid dream! Stupid Soubi!"

000

When lunch came around that day, he sat again with Yuiko and pulled a sandwich out of his brown lunch bag. Her old friends were watching them out of the corner of their eyes, but none of them made a move to bother them, so he ignored it. Yuiko munched happily on a piece of toast covered in strawberry jam, though the bento box sticking out of her bag proved it was just a snack and not her main meal.

"You should eat your meal first, you know. It's better for you." Ritsuka commented.

"That's okay, Ritsuka-kun. Even if it's better for me, Yuiko likes it this way!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. " _I_ , Yuiko. The word is _I._ "

"Oh, right!" She giggled. "I, I, I, I!"

He rolled his eyes. Her naivety was a bit endearing compared to the harsh life he'd been through that had forced him to grow up too fast, but it got annoying sometimes. Since he was already annoyed by that morning, now was one of those times.

"How was your night, Ritsuka-kun?" She wondered. "Did you sleep well?"

"No, I had a nightmare and made Soubi come over." He groaned. "How embarrassing…"

"Soubi-san came over?"

"Yeah, he stayed the night."

"That's good. Did you have any more nightmares after that?"

"No…"

"Maybe Soubi-san should stay overnight all the time, then!"

"No!" He argued, flushing crimson. "It was just a one-time thing, Yuiko. I'm not relying on Soubi to chase the monsters away."

He _would_ , however, rely on Soubi to fight the other units away, but that was something else entirely.

"Okay." She seemed disheartened at that.

He knew she liked him and was fond of Soubi, but could she maybe like him, too? First off, that would annoy Yayoi like crazy. Second, Soubi was Ritsuka's and Ritsuka's only. He wasn't going to share. The preteen blinked in confusion down at his sandwich. Where had _that_ thought come from? It wasn't like Soubi was his boyfriend or anything. No, but he _was_ his Fighter. That was something…what had Soubi called it…? 'A bond stronger than the bond between any two people'? Yeah, that explained it. So what if Yuiko happened to like Soubi? Ritsuka knew who the blonde was after. Damn pervert.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom." Ritsuka stood up. "Don't wait on me."

"Don't forget to ask Sensei for a hall pass!" Yuiko grinned.

He nodded and went to her desk. "Sensei?" He greeted, making her look up from the papers she was grading. "May I please have the hall pass? I need to use the bathroom."

"Of course." She responded, grabbing the item from her desk drawer. "By the way, Ritsuka-kun, you did wonderful, on the last English test. Highest score." She winked at him, making him blush.

"Thanks, Sensei. Seimei used to practice with me before he died. He was at the top of his English class when he took it."

"Well, I'm glad you had such a wonderful study partner, for as short of a time as you did."

His smile never waned. "I am, too."

He left the room without a word or a glance to silently warn Yuiko's friends to leave her alone while he was gone. He took a left down the hall towards the nearest bathroom.

" _Ritsuka_." A voice greeted him, barely a whisper.

He turned around, wondering if Yayoi had come out of his classroom, too, and was trying to scare him. he saw no one and shrugged, attributing it to waning effects from the incidents that morning.

" _Not that way_." A voice warned him when he reached a fork in the hall and started to go right.

There were bathrooms on either side, but that was the one he preferred; it was often cleaner. He ignored the voice's warning. Halfway down the hall, a locked slammed open as if it hadn't been locked properly and the wind had knocked it open. He jumped back, gripping onto his shirt over his chest. That scared the heck out of him! With a shake of his head, he continued to the bathroom. When he tried the handle, he found the door locked. With a groan, he realized there must have been something wrong with it and the janitors had blocked it off. Going back the way he came, the same locked slammed open and papers blew out. He rushed through the whirlwind to the beginning of the fork and went the other way. He quickly grabbed the handle to the bathroom door and pulled it open. He slipped in and shut the door, leaning on it as he panted. What was that all about? There wasn't much wind that day, let alone enough to open a locker twice _and_ blow about its contents. What a mess that would be to clean up later. The preteen pushed open a stall and slipped in to relieve himself. Once done, he washed his hands in the basin under the mirrors.

He looked up in the mirror to see darkening bags under his eyes; the mark of someone who didn't sleep. With a sigh, he looked back down, but a flash of movement made him look up again. He spotted himself in the mirror, and something that hadn't been there before. Standing near the stall he'd just come out of was Seimei again; one arm outstretched for him to take, and the other behind his back. He gave his brother the same smile he had that morning. Ritsuka nearly jumped out of his skin and turned around to face the apparition. When he did, it was gone. He groaned. Not this again. Damn his mind for playing tricks on him. He turned back to the sink and almost let out a scream. It died in his throat as he found himself face to face, almost chest to chest, with his brother's form. The elder Aoyagi said nothing; only stared with almost blank plum eyes and smiled at his brother reassuringly.

"Seimei…?" Ritsuka wondered, reaching out towards him.

Seimei moved back as if he'd been struck and his sweet smile turned into an ugly grimace. Ritsuka closed his eyes as Seimei let out a screech. He rushed out of the bathroom the second his brother's voice rang out. He almost bumped into someone on the way out.

"Aoyagi-kun!" Yayoi's voice greeted. "You're in a rush. You forgot your hall pass, I think. Is that it on the floor there?"

The longer haired boy reached down to grab Ritsuka's hot pink hall pass.

"Thanks…" Ritsuka stated.

"You're welcome…you look pale. Are you getting sick?"

"No, I'm fine." Ritsuka shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memory of what he'd just seen. "Not enough sleep is all. I had a nightmare."

"Again? That's not good." Yayoi adjusted his glasses. "How bad?"

"Not really, but enough to wake me up screaming."

"Gomennasai…"

"It's okay. Sorry for almost hitting you."

"It's okay. It happens." Yayoi smiled at him and went into the bathroom.

Ritsuka sighed and looked down the hall where the locked had been. The hallway was clear and all the lockers looked undisturbed. Had he imagined that? No, someone probably came through and cleaned it up. Didn't one of the fifth-grade classes down there have gym this period? Maybe they reported it. He went to the other bathroom and tried the handle. It opened with ease; unlocked. Confused and a little scared, Ritsuka pulled his cell out from under his shirt and chose a contact to message.

 _Are you in class?_ He wrote.

The reply was almost instant. _I am done for the day. Are you alright?_

 _Come stay outside my school. If anyone asks, you're early to pick up a cousin or something._

 _Did something happen?_

 _I saw Seimei again. Stop asking questions and get over here! :_

 _Gomen. See you soon~_

Ritsuka sighed and put his cell away to go back to class. He had to get to the bottom of this. He couldn't just call Soubi and make the blonde uproot his entire life to guard him from the things in his head. He walked back to his classroom, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rising like they had the day before. Trying to look as casual as he could about it, he quickly pulled the door open and entered. Nothing tended to happen with other people around. He smiled at Sensei and gave her the hall pass back. He was back for only five seconds before Yuiko began yammering on about something inane that he didn't care about. He was too concerned with the demons in his head.

000

Soubi sighed as he put away his paints and cell phone. Kio glared at him in a mix of concern and annoyance.

"You can't just run off every time Aoyagi calls you." He complained. "Does this mean I have to go?"

"You can stay if you like. I'll be back later."

Kio nodded. "What's with the kid anyway? Texting in school?"

"He's had nightmares a lot lately." Soubi stated. "They're starting to slip into his waking life, as well."

"He's got an over active imagination. Plenty of kids his age have them. It's no reason to go running when he has a problem."

"You couldn't understand, Kio."

"You said the same thing about Seimei."

"I'm aware."

"So what makes this kid so special? Because Seimei told you he is? Or because he's related to Seimei?"

"Ritsuka has nothing to do with Seimei." Soubi assured his friend. "He's special to me because he's Ritsuka."

"You should write for Hallmark." Kio muttered, going back to his painting. "What has he been seeing from his dream?"

"Seimei."

Kio paled, looking up at him. "Do you think there's any validity to that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could Seimei be haunting him?"

"If he was, I'd be frightened for Ritsuka, myself."

"At least we can agree on _that_ , Sou-chan." A sigh. "Just go take care of your boyfriend."

Soubi chuckled. "Jealous, Kio?"

"Of course not. But it's not right, Soubi. He's just a kid."

Soubi paused, hand inches from the doorknob. He smirked. "He's so much more than that."

He left before the confused greenette could ask him to elaborate or call him a creep.

00

He should have stayed the night at Soubi's or had the blonde stay over again. But _no_ , Ritsuka's stubborn pride made him send Soubi home just before he went to bed. Now he was sitting on the corner of his bed with the blankets over his head, shaking. He could hear screeching like in the bathroom, but he was certain it wasn't coming from his mother downstairs. He was surprised she wasn't rushing upstairs to yell at him or hit him for screaming or playing a game too loudly. The ravenette clung tightly to his cell phone, hands and body shaking. He was surprised when the noises stopped thanks to a knock on the balcony door. He scrambled out from under his blankets to find Soubi standing on the other side, looking as frightened as Ritsuka felt. He pulled the door open and practically launched himself at Soubi. The blonde took a step back.

"Ritsuka, what's the matter?" He wondered.

"How did you know I needed you?" Ritsuka muttered into his shirt instead of answering him.

"You called me."

"No I didn't." Ritsuka looked up at him, confused.

Soubi touched his chest where a translucent piano wire like object stretched out of the boy's skin and waved freely at the end that spun around him. It was their bond that only they and other units could see, but it was broken at the end. How had he used it to call Soubi if they weren't connected?

"I don't understand…"

"You will in time."

"What did I say…?"

" _He's here, he's back, help me, Soubi._ " The blonde explained. "Who was here? Seimei again?"

Ritsuka nodded. He'd told the blonde about the locker and the bathroom, but he didn't know what had caused it. he was still certain it wasn't Seimei. Ritsuka wasn't so sure, but the thought that it wasn't his deceased brother calmed him a bit. Whatever it was, it was frightening him something fierce.

"How do I make it stop, Soubi?" He wondered, tears welling in his plum orbs. "How do I make it go away?"

"He's not here, Ritsuka. There's nothing to make go away. You were just imaging it."

"I heard him scream, I heard his voice in the hall at school leading me to the bathroom where he was. The other bathroom was locked when I checked, but it wasn't when I went back."

"Perhaps they finished cleaning it."

"I guess…"

Damn the blonde's older, more rational mind. Ritsuka sighed.

"I don't want to live like this anymore." He stated, shaking his head. 'I don't sleep, I don't feel well enough to eat or attend classes. I'm too afraid to close my eyes, because I'm afraid that when I open them again, he'll be here…screaming…staring at me…"

"Whatever this is, Ritsuka, if it's anything at all, it is not your brother. He wouldn't torture you so."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…you always are…"

Soubi chuckled. "Not always."

"About this you are. Like you've dealt with it before…?" He stepped back and glared up at him. "You haven't, have you?"

"Of course not." He shook his head. "But I do remember what it was like to be your age and have nightmares and fears."

"Yeah…sure…" Ritsuka sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Stay the night…?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

000

The following day was a Sunday, so neither of the males had classes to attend. Soubi had woken up early and left a note for Ritsuka to explain he'd left so his mother wouldn't discover him, but that he'd be back whenever Ritsuka wanted. His cell phone began beeping and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he answered.

"Hello?" He greeted.

"Ritsuka-kun, it's Yuiko!" A bubbly voice greeted.

"How are you so happy this early in the morning?"

"But Ritsuka-kun, it's noon…"

He checked his alarm clock. How had he slept this late?!

"Oh…"

"Anyway, Yuiko and Yayoi-kun are going to go to the park today. Do you want to go? You can bring Soubi-san!"

"Yeah, we'll go…"

She practically squealed. "I knew you would! Okay, I'll tell Yayoi-kun! Meet us at the park in an hour by the swings!"

"Okay…"

He hung up before she could chirp at him more. She'd keep him busy on the phone for hours if he wasn't careful. He sent a short text to Soubi and started to get ready to go.

000

Soubi met Ritsuka on the corner near his house like he had asked, and the two walked hand in hand towards the park where Yuiko had told them to meet. It was coincidentally the park where they'd shared both their first kiss and his first spell battle. Ritsuka shivered at the thought, trying to hide it from Soubi as much as he could. Even though it was winter, it wasn't cold enough for either snow or for Ritsuka to claim he was shivering from the cold. He wore an open coat that wasn't particularly warm, no hoodie, and a t-shirt with jeans and sneakers. It wasn't like he was bundled up to stay warm either. Soubi wore his signature long purple coat with the black fur, a green shirt with a few little paint stains, and sneakers with jeans as well. He lazily smoked a cigarette as they walked. Every so often Ritsuka would wave his hand in front of the face to keep the smoke from the stick from blowing into his face. He hated when Soubi smoked, but the artist didn't really listen to him when he asked him not to, so he ignored it the best he could.

"Soubi?" He asked.

"Hai?" The blonde glanced down at him.

"I'd like to live to see my next birthday, if you don't mind."

"Gomen." Soubi snuffed the cigarette out between his fingers and stomped it out on the ground.

"Didn't that hurt? Using your fingers like that…?"

"It was nothing."

"Alright…" Ritsuka paused. "Are you sure you don't like pain, Soubi?"

"I hate pain." The blonde answered earnestly.

"Sometimes I wonder about that…" Ritsuka sighed.

Soubi chuckled.

"Ritsuka-kun!" Yuiko's voice called. "Soubi-san! Over here!"

She was standing near the archway that led to the entrance of the playground, waving enthusiastically as she bounced on her toes. Like Ritsuka, she was dressed rather warmly for the season in sneakers, jeans, and a pink shirt with a light blue vest over it. Yayoi stood at her side, waving one hand slightly. He wore a hat on his ears, but that was all that he had on as far as warmth went. He wore skinny jeans and sneakers with a shirt and light jacket as well.

"Yuiko said this place is great for making memories." Yayoi told them when they got closer. "We figured you might want to come."

"And you brought Soubi-san, too!" Yuiko beamed. "Yuiko…I mean _I'm_ glad! See, Ritsuka-kun? I said it! I said _I_!"

"Well done." Ritsuka muttered.

Soubi chuckled. 'Shall we?"

Yuiko practically ran into the park, bouncing as she did so. Yayoi sighed as he walked next to the other males.

"She has so much energy." He observed. "I wish she'd loan some to me…"

"Yeah, me too." Ritsuka agreed.

"Indeed." Soubi added.

"Liar, you have more energy than Yayoi and I combined."

"I suppose." The blonde smirked.

"So how do you know him again, Ritsuka?"

"My brother."

"Seimei was a dear old friend of mine." Soubi informed. "It was disheartening to hear of his passing."

"Yeah, what a way to go, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Yuiko asked, pushing herself on a swing as the others neared.

"My brother dying."

Yuiko's smile faltered. "I'm sorry the girls at school were looking it up and talking about it…that wasn't fair to you. They could have just asked…"

"They're mean. Always have been, always will be." Ritsuka shrugged and took his hand from Soubi.

"I'm not entirely certain he would have answered." Soubi added.

Ritsuka sat on a swing, glaring at him. "You act like you know everything, you know that? But you really don't?"

"Oh, I don't?" Soubi sat next to him. "How are you so certain?"

"No one knows everything."

"I beg to differ."

Yayoi laughed at that, Yuiko giggling in agreement.

"Baka."

"Are you guys excited for the winter carnival?" Yayoi wondered. "I'm not going to be able to do much with my asthma, but my step mom is baking cookies and stuff for the bake sale."

"Yuiko can't wait!" The bubbly pinkette chimed in, pumping a fist into the air. "I love the carnivals. This one is going to be in the gym at our school, right?"

"Right." Yayoi nodded. "Sometimes they rent out other places, but not this year." He informed Soubi and Ritsuka.

"Did your old school have them, Ritsuka-kun?" Yuiko wondered.

"I…I don't remember." He looked away. "I found my brother's dead body there, so can we not talk about that place, please?"

"I'm sorry." Yuiko apologized.

"It's alright…"

"We don't need another nightmare." Soubi added.

"Shut up!" Ritsuka complained, ears flushing red as his tail went stiff.

"You're still having nightmares?" Yayoi asked as he sat on a swing next to Yuiko. "I know you had one the other day, but did you have one last night, too?"

"No…"

"Because I was there." Soubi stated.

"Shut up, that's not why!" Ritsuka sighed, kicking his legs to move slowly back and forth. "Just what you said about e feeling weirded out during the day had something to do with remembering my nightmare. I don't know, putting some logic to it all just kind of helped."

"I'm glad it did." Soubi smiled gently at him.

"Are you doing anything for the Winter Carnival, Yuiko?" Ritsuka changed the subject.

"I'm helping with decorating this year!" Yuiko beamed. "Yuiko wanted to last year, but all the slots filled early."

"They tend to." Yayoi nodded. "It takes the most work, but it gives you more time to enjoy the Carnival since you're not working during it."

"Did you sign up for anything, Ritsuka-kun?"

"No, my mother wouldn't like me volunteering to bring food or anything so I didn't bother."

"You should talk to Sensei! Maybe there's still an open decorating spot for you!"

"Don't we do that stuff Wednesdays on club days? I can't do Wednesdays."

"No, it's the Friday before." Yayoi corrected. "If you don't want to help, just don't. No one is going to be mad at you for saying no."

"I wouldn't mind helping." Ritsuka corrected him back. "I'm not much for decorating…I'm better with a camera than with my hands and a ladder…"

"I think the newspaper club still needs a couple people to take pictures for it. You don't have to join the club; just volunteer."

"I don't know…"

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, Ritsuka." Soubi stated. "You love taking pictures."

"I'll think about it, I guess…"

"Yay!" Yuiko cheered, kicking her legs a little harder.

Even Ritsuka had to smile at how innocent she was. He kind of envied how his friends could stay children so long while he had to grow up the day he woke up memoryless. Heh, that should have been his true name. Then again, Loveless was just as fitting. Maybe not with Soubi, but still.

He sighed and looked out towards the trees that hid the picnic table area where he and Soubi had first kissed and blushed. Why did everything go back to Soubi? He was just Seimei's weird older friend that took a liking to Ritsuka only because Seimei told him that he had to when he died. Kissing him and telling him that he loved him were just part of Seimei's orders, right? That's why the whole ordeal was tearing the teen apart. Being told by someone that they loved him on their own was one thing. Telling him that they loved him because someone else, let alone his own _brother,_ told them to was something else entirely. Maybe that's why he was so on edge and so affected by that dream as he was. No matter what Soubi told him, he could never be sure that he truly loved him and that he wasn't just following orders. Hell, even when he promised he wasn't just saying it because he was told to, that could have been an order too; to reassure him no matter what that his love was true and genuine. He was certain Seimei had only ordered it out of concern and compassion for his brother, knowing how alone he'd truly be when Seimei died. Did his brother know he was going to die? Was that why he ordered it? There were so many mysteries surrounding his brother that he wasn't entirely certain he'd ever know the full truth of his world. It was all so new to him, but Seimei had been doing this for years. The preteen was shaken form his thoughts as he saw something moving within the trees.

His friends were talking and laughing amongst themselves, Soubi included, but none of them seemed to notice anything off about Ritsuka or where they were. He looked as close as he could to where he though he saw someone standing, but there was nothing there. He shook his head. Of course it was just a figment of his overactive imagination. That's all it ever was.


	2. I Know What I Saw

Dlbn: So I forgot I had posted this and had no chance to update on Halloween because I was out all night and then my boyfriend stayed over and yeah.

Nbld: But since the results of the US election were made official today, I guess a horror-esque fic is the perfect thing to update. Not a fan of Trump, but to each their own. Anyway, time for the Review Corner. Thank you to Promocat for reviewing! Leftover unopened Halloween candy and Halloween cupcakes for you!

Promocat: In the anime, Seimei is really dead and not alive for some reason. It doesn't make sense but they made it before the series could be finished (or continued), so I'm sticking to that universe to create the horror aspect. It wouldn't surprise me if Seimei somehow came back to see Ritsuka while dead. It's the creepy kind of crap he'd pull ;)

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING but plot. Everything else belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off of writing in this category.

000

The following Saturday, Ritsuka roamed around the Winter Carnival with his camera to take photos for the newspaper. They'd been happy to have him help, even if he unable to join the club because of his prior commitments on club days. The last two periods of classes had been canceled for the festival. The Carnival was decorated nicely by Yuiko and other students from the fifth through seventh grade classes. There were light blue and white snowflakes everywhere, each booth was adorned with the blue garland and white snowflakes or the reverse, and streamers of the same colors hung from the ceilings. There was even a spot for kids to take pictures with their friends, but he wasn't on that duty, thankfully. He liked taking pictures of people, but he was sure the girls from his class would have made it more difficult than not for him if he'd done that. Soubi was roaming around somewhere with his friend Kio, but Ritsuka had warned him to keep a distance as much as possible so no one would find anything odd about the adults being there with a child that looked nothing like either of them. They could say they were there to support family, but Ritsuka wasn't an ideal candidate for _that_ lie. The Zero twins that Soubi had taken in after he defeated them were roaming around, too, but Ritsuka wasn't sure where. He just hoped the little troublemakers kept their distance. He aimed his camera at the bake sale booth where a tall brunette girl was helping a man and his young child pick out treats. With a click of his camera, he turned away and bumped into someone,

"Oh, sorry," He apologized, looking up.

Staring at him was his own brother again. The ravenette didn't know whether to scream in fear or sigh in irritation. Within the last week, he'd seen Seimei and other strange things less and less, but to bump _into_ the apparition was something different. Wait a minute, Seimei was dead. How did Ritsuka walk into a _solid_ Seimei? The preteen turned on his heel and rushed off as quickly as he could to get away. It seemed like no one had noticed anything wrong, and no one really seemed to notice his hurried pace either. A hand grabbed his wrist gently and he was pulled back into the shadows of the gym.

"Ritsuka, what's wrong?" Soubi wondered. "Are you alright?"

"I saw Seimei." Ritsuka shuddered. "I bumped _into_ him. How do I bump into a figment of my imagination, Soubi?"

"Are you certain you saw him?"

"I don't think I could mistake anyone else for my _brother_."

"I still say you just have an overactive imagination kicked into hyper drive from that nightmare you had." Kio spoke up from Soubi's side, munching on a lollipop. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Ritsuka-kun."

"Just Ritsuka is fine…"

Kio gave him a soft smile. Ritsuka wasn't all that fond of the greenette, but he was Soubi's best friend, so he was okay.

"I'm sure it was nothing, Ritsuka. Did you apologize? Perhaps it was someone else and…"

"It was someone else and because of the nightmare, I saw Seimei for whatever reason." Ritsuka sighed. "I apologized and rushed off, but I probably looked like an idiot standing there staring at them."

"They probably apologized, too." Kio shrugged.

"I guess…"

"Don't worry so much. Try to go and have fun."

"Alright…" Ritsuka rushed off before anyone could see.

After joining the crowds of people, he resumed a normal walking speed and took a close up shot of the background they were using for pictures while no one was there. All he had to do was keep reminding himself that Seimei was dead and wasn't there, and he'd be okay. After all, if he _really_ needed him, Soubi was there. The thought was comforting as the ravenette sat down on a bench to look through the photos he'd taken. It was a new memory card Soubi had gotten him for the occasion, so he wouldn't accidentally submit photos of himself and Soubi or the few that Yoji and Natsuo had stolen his camera and taken of themselves. He wasn't entirely surprised by anything in his shorts, other than a few blurry ones he deleted the second they popped up. He almost screamed when the last photo, the one of the empty backdrop, popped up on screen with only pieces of it showing around a huge shot of his brother's face, as if Seimei had placed his face right up against the camera. Ritsuka stood on shaky legs and slowly made his way back to where Soubi and Kio were. The greenette was still munching on a lollipop, but he didn't spot Soubi.

"Where'd he go?" He wondered.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"That's because I did." Ritsuka showed him the photo.

"Very funny."

"Huh?"

Ritsuka looked again to find the shot of just the backdrop again; no creepy Seimei in the way.

"I swear it was right…I guess I _am_ hallucinating…"

"I think you just need some proper sleep and some proper nutrition."

"But…"

"Don't wear yourself down taking photos here. You probably have enough by now. Rest."

"But…"

"He's right." Yoji offered from behind him. "You're acting like a total nut job."

"A complete fool." Natsuo agreed.

Ritsuka turned just in time to hear them cry out from being slapped by Soubi.

"Behave." He stated.

They both glared as they rubbed their heads, though Ritsuka knew neither could actually feel pain.

"I think you did well for tonight, Ritsuka." Soubi offered. "Why don't we go home, hm?"

"I can't leave early. They'll know something is up." He nodded at the trio of girls that bullied Yuiko.

Luckily they weren't looking in his direction, but he knew it was them. Soubi nodded, understanding.

"I'm sure the newspaper and your Sensei won't mind if you go home early because you don't feel good." Soubi offered. "You need proper rest."

"And to eat something." Kio stated. "You're so thin. When's the last time you had a home cooked meal?"

"…I can't remember…"

Yoji and Natsuo snickered, earning a slap from Soubi for each of them again. Kio frowned.

"That's not good." He commented.

"I know."

"Let's get going." Soubi stated. "You should go without us, Ritsuka."

"No. If Yoji and Natsuo leave with you, it will just look like I left with friends."

"I'm not ready to leave yet." Yoji all but whined. "Sorry, Ritsuka, but I want a cookie."

"You had six." Soubi stated.

"Before we got here." Added Kio.

"I want another."

"Go get your cookie." Ritsuka sighed. "I could use a drink, anyway…"

"Sweet." Yoji grabbed him and Natsuo and pulled them off towards the bake sale.

Ritsuka sighed as he was drug through the crowd of students, teachers, families, and other guests. At least he had Yoji and Natsuo to keep him company; kids his own age who knew about word spell.

"Hey, guys?" He asked.

"What?" Natsuo wondered, stopping from wrestling with trying to pry off Yoji's hand.

"What's happening to me…do you think it could be spell related…?"

"Hm, it wouldn't surprise me." Natsuo shook his head. "From what I gather, there's a lot of people after you. How many have you fought again?"

"Um…Breathless twice, Sleepless once, the female Zero once…and Soubi fought you guys once since being my Fighter if that counts. And the female Zeroes once, too."

"Yeah, since both of us Zeroes were sent to find you. The girls only came because Soubi kicked our asses." Yoji huffed.

"If it's a spell, it should wear off at some point. Most spells aren't permanent. Just the death causing ones."

"I'd die if this was some spell that makes you go crazy before it kills you." Yoji commented.

He let them go and they ceased talking about spells while they got their snacks. Once they were done, they walked away together. Yoji munched happily on a chocolate covered cookie while Ritsuka gingery tested the heat of the apple cider with his tongue. He didn't trust Yoji when he said it 'wasn't hot' since he knew not being able to feel pain meant he couldn't feel hot or cold either. It was a comfortable drinking temperature, so he took a sip.

"Hopefully its nothing like that." Natsuo picked up the conversation from where they left off. "I'd offer to ask Sensei for you, but she hasn't contacted us since we lost, and she hasn't called us back either."

"I called her fifteen times in an hour yesterday. No answer, no callbacks."

"No wonder she won't call." Natsuo rolled his good eye. "I wouldn't call either if you pestered me fifteen times in an hour."

"Shut up, Natsuo."

"Make me."

"I'm your Sacrifice. I can do that."

"Damn."

Ritsuka couldn't help but laugh with Yoji. Though their spell world was anything but normal, having friends to joke around with about it made it better.

000

Soubi led Ritsuka down the hallways of the school to get a book form his locker and use the bathroom. Yoji, Natsuo, and Kio kept a bit of a distance as they followed. The elder of those three seemed wary about getting caught, but Yoji and Natsuo couldn't care less as they loudly commented on things they saw or didn't see in the classrooms they passed. Ritsuka spun the combination to his school locker as Soubi leaned on the bank of them next to it.

"815." Yoji commented. "I'll have to remember that if I ever want to prank you."

Soubi glared, making the mint haired neko hide behind Natsuo slightly. Natsuo glared back, but even Kio could tell that his bravado was false. Soubi had nearly killed the two by lowering the temperature. Even Ritsuka knew that they were afraid he could kill them for real fi they pissed off him-or Ritsuka-enough.

"I'll have to remember to get my locker changed, then." Ritsuka pointed out.

Natsuo laughed, earning a smack form his Sacrifice. He glared and smacked him back. The two began repeatedly slapping one another back and forth as Kio slinked away to stand with Soubi.

"Those two need mental help." He stated.

"If you met who raised them, you'd understand why."

"You know this Sensei of theirs, Soubi?"

"Sagan Nagisa." Soubi nodded. "She's a nurse at the school I attended."

"Aw, it's hard to imagine a little Soubi in school." Kio pinched his cheek. "All cute and innocent with your ears and tail."

Soubi smacked his hand away. "Zip it, Kio."

"Someone's touchy."

"I lost my ears when I was fourteen, Kio. I don't wish to talk about it."

Kio frowned. "Oh…sorry…"

The blonde shrugged as Ritsuka slammed his locker shut.

"Where did you go to school, Soubi?" Ritsuka wondered.

"Out in Gora."

"We go there now." Natsuo stated, brushing away a smack from Yoji. "Well, we _did_ until this one got us kicked out."

"Hey, you had a hand in that, too! Who knew sensei could be so testy when you undo the screws on their chairs." Yoji stated.

"You're impossible." Kio groaned. "How do you put up with this, Soubi?"

"Consider it community service."

"What a weird community."

"You can say that again." Ritsuka nodded.

"Alright, you got your book. Can we go to the bathrooms now so we can go?" Yoji wondered. "I'm bored."

"Sorry you're not entertained." Ritsuka rolled his eyes. "You could have left without us."

"Yeah, and let you walk out of here with Soubi and Kio and have every cop in the city after them for being perverts? Not gonna happen."

"So you _do_ care about us, then?" Kio teased.

"No, of course I don't." Yoji folded his arms and looked away. "I don't care at all. Just we'd hear it from Sensei later."

"If she bothered to call you back." Soubi pointed out.

Ritsuka laughed, taking the blonde by the hand to go to the bathroom. He chose the one that had been locked when he tried it the first time the other day. If the other had Seimei in it, he didn't want anything to do with it.

"I'll be right out." Ritsuka stated. "Don't follow me, hentai."

Soubi smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it, Ritsuka."

"I wouldn't buy that if I were you, Ritsuka." Natsuo offered.

"I don't."

The preteen disappeared into the bathroom. He checked the mirror and every stall until he was certain no one and nothing was there that shouldn't have been. The last thing he needed was another Seimei hallucination while the school as full of people that could hear him scream. It was one thing for Soubi to hear it. It was another for strangers, or even the twins and Kio. Why had the other artist come again? He had no loyalty to Ritsuka to do so. Well, it was Soubi, so maybe that was it. Yoji and Natsuo just wanted to try and cause hell, probably.

He heard the bathroom door open and shut while he used the facilities, but he didn't hear anyone walking in. Maybe one of the twins had tried to come in and scare him but were stopped by Soubi. He heard the sink water run and a squeaking noise that sounded like someone was wiping their finger against glass. He froze. Okay, Natsuo knew word spell. Maybe he used magic to hide the sound of him walking in so he could spook him. That sounded like something either one of the boys would have done. Ritsuka sighed and zipped up his jeans. He unlocked and pushed the stall door open. There was no water running, though he hadn't heard it being shut off. However, there was fog on all the mirrors as if hot water had run for a long time. Scrawled across the mirrors in the fog was a message;

 _I'm still with you, Ritsuka. Turn around._

He didn't even want to risk doing so, afraid of what he'd find. He bolted to the door to find it locked. He pounded on the door.

"H-Hey!" He called. "Let me out! I'm done in here!"

"Did you lock yourself in?" Yoji teased. "Come on, Ritsuka, you're not _that_ dumb!"

"It doesn't lock from inside, Yoji!"

Why hadn't he thought of that the other day when he decided this one was locked because they were cleaning it? Now he was really spooked.

"Soubi! Get me out! Please!"

He heard the handle jiggle, but the door didn't open.

"I think it's stuck." The blonde said. "Stand back, Ritsuka. I'll get it open."

Ritsuka heard the toilets flush and the faucets turn on one by one from the furthest one up to the closest one. He held his breath as something tapped on his shoulder and breathed on the back of his neck. Against his better judgement, he slowly turned his head to see what it was. Seimei was once again behind him; just staring and grinning at him. He didn't make a sound or any movement other than to cock his head to the side in curiosity, as if he was confused as to why his brother was so afraid of him. Ritsuka just stared back at him, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest and the scream that threatened to spill out of his lips.

" _Release_." Soubi stated from the other side of the door.

The handle jiggled and the door opened. Ritsuka wasted no time in pulling from Seimei and rushing out of the bathroom. He didn't stop until he was across from it, hands leaning on the windowsill as he panted.

"That wasn't funny!" He scolded, glaring at his friends.

"What are you looking at us for?" Yoji wondered. "We didn't do anything."

"I heard the door open. There's no one else here but the four of you, and I know Soubi isn't dumb enough to do that!"

"Ritsuka, the door never opened." Kio informed. "We've been standing here waiting the entire time…"

Ritsuka paled. "So…you guys didn't lock me in and leave a creepy message on the mirrors…?"

"Creepy message on the mirrors…?" Kio went into the bathroom with the others hot on his heels to look. "There's nothing there, Ritsuka!"

"What?" Ritsuka stood next to Soubi in the opened doorway. Sure enough, the windows were clear and Seimei was no longer standing there staring at him. "But that's impossible! I saw…I heard…!" His shoulders dropped.

"But…he was there…Seimei…"

"Ritsuka, there _is_ no Seimei."

"I know what I saw!" Ritsuka cried in frustration, tugging at his hair. "Seimei was _right there_! I saw him, I heard him! Damn it, I _felt_ him touch me!"

"Your mind is playing tricks on you, Ritsuka." Kio assured him. "No one came in, and there's nothing here. I promise you."

"But…!"

"Lame." Yoji complained, scuffing his toe. "I was hoping something interesting would happen tonight, but the most interesting thing that's happened is Ritsuka opening locker 815."

"I swear I'm changing my locker Monday." Ritsuka commented.

"Ritsuka, it's alright." Soubi knelt, tipping the boy's chin up with his left hand. "Like Kio said, all you need is a good meal and some decent sleep, alright?"

"Okay…"

There was no use in arguing. They weren't going to believe him anyway.

"Seimei was there…" He added as they all began to walk away.

"You saw him again?" Natsuo wondered. "I think you need your head examined."

"I'd say the same about you two." Kio smacked him.

Natsuo slapped him back on the shoulder, huffing.

"It's that dream. He was there, too."

"Why don't you tell me again what happened with Seimei in the dream?" Soubi wondered.

"You were there…you started fading away…and at the last minute…you turned into him…"

Soubi was clearly taken back by that. He blinked in confusion. "I became Seimei, hm?"

"Well, you know full well that Ritsuka doubts it when you tell him you loved him, because it was Seimei who said you had to." Yoji pointed out. "So I'm not surprised. He doesn't know if he's talking to you or his brother through you half the time."

"That was insightful, Yoji…" Kio pointed out.

"Yeah, it happens sometimes. People are always surprised."

"Because you're usually such an airhead!" Natsuo laughed, earning him a tackle from his Sacrifice.

"Should we separate them…?" Kio asked, looking at the twins wrestling on the ground.

"If they care, they'll see we're gone and start following." Soubi stated. "Is Yoji right, Ritsuka? You don't trust that my feelings for you are genuine?"

"I'm still confused how you're managing to be in love with a twelve-year-old." Kio stated. "No offense, Ritsuka, but Soubi-chan…he's a _kid_."

"Seimei said he had to when he died." Ritsuka avoided answering the blonde's question.

"There's another relationship I don't understand. Soubi and Seimei."

"Seimei and I were never in a relationship, Kio."

"It would be slightly less disturbing if you were." Kio rolled his eyes. "At least he's closer in age to you, even if he's a complete ass. Sorry, Ritsuka."

"It's okay…" Ritsuka shrugged.

No one really talked ill of Seimei, but considering how Soubi's neck had bene _carved_ by the guy, according to Soubi, Ritsuka wasn't surprised that people like Kio could dislike his brother.

000

Later that night, Soubi had convinced Kio to go home so Ritsuka could feel comfortable staying the night with him and the boys. Ritsuka hadn't known what to think when he called his mother for permission to stay with friends and she'd happily agreed. He was probably in for a beating when he got home. But what else was new, really? Yoji and Natsuo shared a cot in the living room, but Soubi had insisted it was alright for Ritsuka to share a bed with him. After all, he'd slept in Ritsuka's bed often over the past few days. The clock read four am while Ritsuka lay on his back with his arms under his head and stared up at the ceiling in thought. He'd slept a couple hours thanks to his stomach being full for once from Kio's cooking, but another nightmare that he could barely remember woke him up again. At least he'd only woke up sweaty and out of breath instead of screaming. Soubi hadn't noticed anything and was still sleeping facing the wall. That had been three hours ago. He hadn't been able to sleep since, although he'd used the bathroom at least twice without somehow waking up Soubi by getting out of bed. The man slept like a damn rock.

Ritsuka sighed and made himself get out of bed again. This time he made his way to the kitchen for a drink. His mouth was dry. He poured a glass of milk using the moonlight in the window as a guide so he could see in the otherwise pitch black room. After putting the milk away and shutting the door, he nearly jumped out of his skin as he spotted Seimei standing where the refrigerator door had been a moment ago.

"Damn it." He complained, grabbing at his chest. "What the hell, Seimei? Go on, leave me alone." He waved his brother off with his other hand, feeling horror creep up his spine as his hand brushed through his brother's translucent form. He almost knocked the glass of milk off the table as he rushed back to the bedroom. He was okay. This wasn't real. That was just a hallucination caused by a lack of sleep. He just had to get back to Soubi and he'd be okay; it would go away. It always went away when Soubi was next to him. Always. Tonight wouldn't be any different. He grabbed the handle to the bedroom door and tried to open it, but crashed into it as it was locked. He groaned and tried again, hitting the door with his shoulder. How had it locked? Soubi was asleep, and if he wasn't, he would have seen that Ritsuka wasn't there and left the door unlocked so he could get back in. It was like the bathroom incident all over again. He pounded on the door.

"Soubi!" He called the Fighter. "Damn it, Soubi, let me in! Please! Let me in!" No response. " _Release! Release!_ Oh, god, let me in!"

He turned to Yoji and Natsuo, who hadn't stirred. He spotted Seimei out of the corner of his eye in the kitchen doorway; just staring. He was getting closer. Ritsuka rushed to the sleeping boys, surprised they weren't waking up.

"Yoji! Natsuo! Wake up!" He shook them both. "Zero! Zero!"

Neither of them stirred. It was like there was a sleeping spell cast over the entire house; a spell that didn't affect Ritsuka. If Kio were here, he probably would have been caught in it, too.

"Come on, someone! Anyone! Wake up! Seimei!"

He felt a cool hand on his shoulder and screamed as he dropped to the floor and scuttled away. Seimei was standing right behind where he'd been kneeling, arm out stretched as if his hand was still sitting on his shoulder. He was still staring, his mouth closed and his expression blank. Ritsuka couldn't make out what he was thinking, or what he was saying, if it were anything.

 _I'm not here to hurt you_. He stated. _If you die here, you die for real._

"Die here…?"

Of course! The other nightmare! He'd been told by Soubi who had not yet turned into Seimei that if he died in that dream, he'd die in the real world as well. It wasn't an ordinary dream, he'd said before, right? All he had to do was wake up. He pinched himself and gave himself a slap upside the head.

"Wake up!" He scolded himself. "Damn it, Aoyagi Ritsuka, wake _up_!"

He hit a fist against his head, but it was soon grabbed by Seimei's ghostly hand.

 _You'll hurt yourself. Are you not happy to see me…Ritsuka?_

"No, no I'm not! The last time I saw you in a dream, you killed everyone and went up in flames, only to come back when I forced Soubi away!" Ritsuka complained. "Just leave me _alone_ , Seimei! Leave me _alone_!"

He felt the room heat up as he shouted like he had in the last dream when he'd finally got fed up with the nonsense of that world. Seimei took a step back, covering his eyes with his arm as fire sparked in his eyes. Fire spewed out from the floor and wrapped around the room, shortly covering it in flames. Yoji and Natsuo and their cot were gone, but Soubi appeared; tied to a chair.

"Soubi!" He called, rushing to the blonde and tugging at the ropes.

Flames licked closer as he struggled with the knots, wishing he had a knife. If he didn't get him out, Soubi would be gone just like Seimei!

 _Who do you wish to save, Ritsuka? Me…or him…?_

He looked over to see Seimei staring at him blankly still, but tied to a chair with flames licking up at his feet.

"You can't die here!" He scolded. "You're not real! You're gone! I don't _have_ Seimei anymore! I have Soubi!"

He tugged at the ropes, feeling smoke invade his lungs and make it harder for him to breathe. Still, he struggled.

"Soubi, wake up! Come on!" He complained, tugging. "Use a spell! Free yourself! Come _on_ , Soubi, you're stronger than this!" He tugged on the ropes and pushed on the chair. "Soubi! Come on, I trust you! I trust you're going to get out of this! Just wake _up_!"

"Ritsuka?" Soubi wondered, head lifting slightly.

A brilliant white light filled the room. Soon the fire was gone. Ritsuka turned to see that Seimei and his chair were gone as well. Only Soubi remained there with him, standing next to him and offering the boy a hand to stand up.

"That was a good spell, Ritsuka." He complimented the boy. "I knew you had the power inside of you to free me…"

"I can't use spells…only a Fighter can use spells…" Ritsuka hugged him around the middle. "Is it all over, Soubi? Is he gone?"

Soubi nodded. "You just have to do one thing now, Ritsuka…"

"What's that…?"

"Wake up."

Ritsuka's eyes shot open and he sat up in bed panting, groaning in pain when his head hit something hard.

"Hey, he's awake." Yoji observed, rubbing at his forehead.

"What…?" Ritsuka looked around. "Who?"

Soubi sat at his side on his knees, watching him with a look of fear in his eyes that Ritsuka never wanted to see again. Yoji was still kneeling over him, which made since that he'd banged their heads together when he shot up. Natsuo stood near the door with his phone in his hand.

"Should I still call someone?" He asked.

"No, no, there's no need." Soubi sighed in relief. "Ritsuka, are you alright?"

"I…I think so…"

"You were screaming and thrashing around." Yoji stated. "For god's sake, you even woke Natsuo and me. I bet the neighbors three eight down heard you!"

"There's only three floors here, Yoji." Natsuo pointed out.

"Shut up, you know what I meant!"

"I had a nightmare…" Ritsuka commented.

"I know." Soubi nodded. "I couldn't wake you. Natsuo tried spells, but nothing worked. It was like you were caught in a dream…"

"A horrible one."

"Was Seimei there?"

"Yeah…but he's gone now…"

"Are you certain?"

"Only one way to be certain."

Ritsuka got up and out of bed even though his legs were shaking. The bed squeaked as both Yoji and Soubi scrambled off to follow him. he went in the bathroom and shut the door before turning the lights on. He waited a few minutes and tried the handle. The door opened with ease. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary in there with him either. Soubi and boys were standing on the other side waiting for him.

"I'm okay now…" Ritsuka smiled gently.

"Good." Yoji slugged his shoulder. "Don't scare Soubi and Natsuo like that again, alright? Sheesh, how rude."

He stalked off towards bed.

"What he _means_ is he's glad you're okay. We both are." Natsuo gave him a smile before going to join his partner back in bed.

Soubi offered his hand. "How did you escape it…?" He wondered.

Ritsuka took the hand offered to him and followed the blonde back to bed. "You…you were both tied to chairs and the room was on fire…I tried to free you, but you wouldn't wake up and I couldn't undo the knots…" He spoke. "But…I kept calling to you, trying to wake you up…and when I said I trusted you…you woke up and the fire went away. It took Seimei, I think, because he was gone, too. You said he was, anyway, and told me to wake up. The next thing I remember is my head hitting something hard. Yoji's head, I guess."

"I always thought he was hard headed. Now we know for sure." Soubi commented.

A pillow sailed past them. Ritsuka let go of Soubi's hand and grabbed it. He went back to the twins' bed and slammed it as hard as he could onto Yoji.

"Hey!" Yoji complained.

"It's only a pillow, and you can't feel pain anyway." Ritsuka's tail swayed. "Don't throw shit at my boyfriend."

Even Natsuo sat up quickly at that. The twins watched in disbelief as Ritsuka walked away. He leaned on the door frame and stuck his tongue out at them over his shoulder before going back inside. With a confused smile, a blushing Soubi followed him inside and shut the door; locking it behind him.

000

The following night, Yoji and Natsuo had come home with Ritsuka in case his mother got fussy and started something with him, claiming they were friends from school. She hadn't said much, but smiled at them and shuffled off to the kitchen. Ritsuka could hear her rummaging for things to cook with as he and the twins passed the kitchen to go to the stairs. He led them to his room, where he found Soubi patiently waiting on the balcony. The ravenette opened the balcony.

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting." He greeted.

"Not at all." Soubi leaned down and kissed him gently, an action the ravenette gently responded to for a second before pulling away.

"I still can't believe Ritsuka used the 'b' word." Yoji commented, sitting on the floor by his bed.

"Me neither, but it was a long time coming," Natsuo stated. 'I mean, you've seen how they are together."

"Yeah, holding hands and being affectionate and shit. How has no one hauled you off to prison yet, Soubi?"

"I guess luck is on my side." Soubi sat on the bed, pulling Ritsuka onto his lap.

"I'm pretty convinced Kio somehow pays everyone off to ignore it." Ritsuka added.

"Hey, Ritsuka? Where'd you get that jar over there?" Natsuo pointed to his bookshelf at the foot of his bed. "I like the color."

"What would _you_ need a jar for?" Yoji asked.

"So I can write down things that I don't hate about you and put in there so I can read when you piss me off again."

"You mean tomorrow?" Ritsuka joked.

"Hey!" Natsuo complained.

They laughed.

"Actually, I don't remember ever having a jar, let alone that one. Maybe mother put it here?"

"Why would she put a jar in the bedroom of a kid she claims isn't hers?" Yoji wondered. "Soubi, did you leave some of your paints here or something?"

"Of course not." Soubi stated. "My paints are as precious to me as Ritsuka's camera is to him."

"I thought you were going to say they're as precious to you as Ritsuka is and I was going to have to hit you for it."

Soubi glared. "You wouldn't dare."

Ritsuka wiggled off his lap as they bickered back and forth. He grabbed the jar off the shelf and handed it to Natsuo.

"Why is it heavy?" He complained.

"Let's open it and look."

Natsuo pulled the lid off before Ritsuka could say anything. There was a finite blue powder inside filling up the jar, but that was it.

"What the hell is this?" Natsuo rubbed some of it between his fingers. "Hey, Soubi? Do you know what this gunk is?"

Soubi took the jar and examined it. "It's devil's atropa ayahacusa." He stated.

"It's what's what-a, what-a?" Natsuo wondered.

"A powerful hallucinogenic powder." Soubi stated. "If burned, inhaling the smoke can cause hallucinations and delusions of varying types."

"So…someone tried to poison me…?" Ritsuka paled.

"I'm not so certain." Soubi shook his head. "But hallucinating your dead brother and an open door feeling locked could certainly be explained by this powder. Someone probably burned it while you slept and caused your nightmare."

"I fell asleep at my therapist's office and had that nightmare." Ritsuka shook his head. "I don't think she'd try to poison me…do you?"

"I doubt it." Soubi stated. "It was here, which means you were probably affected some time before that. It's probably not even connected to the nightmare; just the more recent things."

"So he _wasn't_ losing it just because he couldn't tell if you really loved him or not?" Yoji sighed. "Great, something else interesting ends up boring."

"Kind of makes me miss Gora." Natsuo offered.

"Yeah, all kinds of _interesting_ things happened there."

"Things you two caused, no doubt." Soubi stated.

"I'm not saying a word without a lawyer." Natsuo huffed.

"This powder is typically found in the west." Soubi returned to the previous subject. "But I suppose one could get it off the black market."

"Okay, so the powder was burned and the smoke made Ritsuka hallucinate a few days later when it set in." Natsuo offered. "At least me know what caused the hallucinations in the first place. But why of Seimei?"

"My brother is the biggest mystery of my life…" Ritsuka explained. "I thought I knew him, but…"

"Well, that answers that. We know the how and we know the why for those visions." Yoji offered, waving his hand. "Does that mean everything can go back to normal?"

"There's just one thing…" Ritsuka started.

"What is it?" Soubi asked.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me, Soubi. Mother won't come to my room since she's convinced I'm not her Ritsuka and being in here hurts. Plus, I don't know how she'd get this stuff. And you guys didn't know where I lived until now…and none of my friends do, and I don't think anyone has been sent to my house directly by Septimal Moon…so they probably don't know where I live."

"Even I didn't know, but I did find your school."

"Stalker." Yoji commented.

"Entirely a coincidence. I just happened to be around one day when Ritsuka and a friend were discussing it."

"Stalker." Natsuo confirmed.

" _Anyway_ ,Ritsu claims he and Septimal Moon never sent Breathless, but I don't believe a word that man says. Seven likely sent Sleepless, since that note was for you to meet her in that game. Nagisa sent both sets of Zeroes." Soubi offered.

"Sheesh, Ritsu must really want to talk to _you_." Yoji pointed out, nudging Ritsuka.

"If I have my way, he never will." Soubi promised.

"Well, that's great, but something is still bugging me…"

"What is it, Ritsuka?" Soubi cocked an eyebrow.

Ritsuka swallowed hard. "How did it even get in here and get burned without my mother noticing someone in the house?"

000

*End note: Devil's Atropa Ayahacusa is NOT a real drug. It's a mixture of names for three different drugs that can cause hallucinations. Don't bother looking for it ;)


End file.
